In November, hundreds of Hollanders will welcome beloved literary characters Atticus, Jem and Scout Finch into their lives.

“To Kill a Mockingbird,” the 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, will be the focus of a “Big Read” community-wide reading program.

Hope College, in partnership with Herrick District Library, the Holland Museum and several local schools, is one of 77 nonprofit organizations across the nation to receive funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to administer the program.

The $16,000 grant, which will be matched by Hope and other community donors, will fund a month-long community read featuring book discussions, lectures and movie screenings.

“It’s a highly competitive grant,” said Deb Van Duinen, assistant professor of education at Hope College and grant administrator. “It’s an honor to be chosen.”

“It’s a great book to read in Holland,” Van Duinen said, noting the book touches on topics like race, class and justice — issues that many communities still struggle with.

And it’s relatable. It’s a book that evolves with you because there’s a character in there for everybody, Stroop said, whether you identify with the mockingbird or a member of the mob.

But the community read isn’t just about the book, Stroop said. The month-long event is about uniting residents of Holland. “People are becoming more and more isolated,” Stroop said. “We want to bring people back together.”

A keynote presentation and panel discussion at Hope College on Nov. 3 will kick off the community read. And on Nov. 11, the 1963 film directed by Robert Mulligan will be shown at the Knickerbocker Theatre.

Local students will also be heavily involved throughout the month. High schoolers from Black River, Holland High, Holland New Tech, West Ottawa and Zeeland will read the book in class, and Hope College students in secondary English education methods classes will be leading some of the community book discussions.

Local artist Joel Schoon Tanis will also work with the high school students and teachers to create pieces of art in response to the themes in the book for a public art reception at the museum on Nov. 21.

Van Duinen and Stroop said they’re planning to provide about 600 books to the community. One hundred of them will be in Spanish. Business sponsors are still needed to cover the cost of additional books and art supplies for students.

The Big Read is managed by Arts Midwest, and is designed to revitalize the role of reading in American culture by exposing citizens to great works of literature and encouraging them to read for pleasure. The National Endowment for the Arts inaugurated the project in 2006 with ten communities featuring four books. Today, more than 1,100 grants have been awarded to communities in the U.S.